Valid point KC, but my memories of Heffernan are of his qualities as a player. Granted, his managerial and motivational skills were key to Dublin’s revival in the 70’s but, aside from Keaveney’s proficiency from placed balls, without Mullins they were exposable… Aside from Mullins at his peak, there’s hardly one of them worth their place on the current Dublin team
ah now, i was young but that is harsh, brogan, david hickey, anton otoole, the doc, gay odriscoll,
in any case, i would agree his was a fantastic player (his record speaks for itself) but his legacy was his revolutionary approach, which led a bunch of “duds” to national prominence. then kerry came along, and it was the whole rural v jackeen element. he was transformational, a brilliant and intelligent tactician and leader who captivated Dublin, its suppoters and ireland during that time.
Without becoming totally negative on the issue, there’s hardly one of these mentioned that would beggar consideration for a 10 year team '73-'83…Notwithstanding Tommy Drumm, Kevin Moran and to a lesser extent Keaveney…
On the mention of Keaveney, the day of the '77 Final (I think) the Armagh f/b Tom McCreesh made a modest fumble, spilled it (lost it again) slipped, fell and the rotund and predatorial Keaveney mooched in and planted it…Boom Boom.
Any sage of that era would have Jacko and Mullinas at m/f, Paidi, Spillane, John O’Keeffe and Ger Power ahead of yours…
No offence.
Even more annoying background colour than TFK but if you’ve a bit of spare time this is a brilliant article by David Walsh on Heffos Dubs from Magill magazine some years back. Apparently they devoted an entire issue to it.
http://pub43.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=3642538416&frmid=4&msgid=552978&cmd=show]http://pub43.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=3642538416&frmid=4&msgid=552978&cmd=show
Some disgraceful soccer style chanting here :lol:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RoFceDFeSU 1RoFceDFeSU
above you said the comparison was v current dublin team? now you’re comparing them the era of greatest side that ever played , who they actually beat twice???
From a sidestreet down Marino way
A young man donned his boots to play
For Dublin, Leinster and the Vin’s
Through painful losses and great wins
Though a hurling man of much renown
his football thrilled all Dublin town
A leader and a gentleman
His name was Kevin Heffernan
In '55 the sun shone bright
We beat the Royals out of sight
20 points it was the gap
Dublin football was on the map
Though disappointment was to come
Heffo kept beating the drum
Sam came home in '58
A just reward for one so great
When the time came later to depart
Dublin football lost its heart
A decade of such barren years
Through ridicule and taunts and jeers
But one man made it rise again
He turned his youngsters into men
Heffo picked us off the floor
In that famous year of '74
Offaly and M**th, Cork and Galway they fell
Transfixed by the messiah Heffernan’s spell
From nowhere the Sky Blues had risen to glory
But that wasn’t the end just the start of the story
The 70s was such a memorable time
The Hill in full voice and the football sublime
The Kingdom were conquered two years in a row
Masterminded by Heffo and captain Hanahoe
They 80s they came and a brand team grew
Nobody remained, well perhaps one or two
But the man who would lead them, well he stayed the same
A calm guiding presence, a tactical brain
The summer of '83, man it was hot
On the field 'twas a battle for everything got
The semi with Cork it looked lost to the clock
Until up popped a young man named Barney Rock
Hill 16 heaved to a deafening roar
The likes of which were not seen since or before
But the match wasn’t won. it was still to decide
The replay would go ahead down on Leeside
Heffo’s men fearlessly braved the lions’ den
The winning gap 4 goals 15 to 2-10
The travelling Hill never wanted to leave
On that memorable August day in Pairc Ui Chaoimh
In the final the Galwaymen proved a stern test
For Heffernan’s blues to prove they were best
They rain it came down and the wind it did roar
And the physical battles left everyone sore
12 men stood ready to defend to the last
In the face of a western gale force blast
I wish I’d been there but I was four years old
Still I’ve seen it so many times on All-Ireland Gold
Like everyone else, Heffo’s age it caught up
He had given so much to his county and club
Still, one more task waited, in Australia fair
A new game, a chance that would prove to be rare
The Aussies were tough but came off second best
The Irishmen winning a famous third test
Heffo a Dubliner faithful and noble
Down Under he proved that his skills they were global
In Twenty Eleven he was there to see Sam
Gilroy his protege now was the man
A legacy handed down through generations
Once more Kerry beaten, we’d conquered the nation
Twenty thirteen and this story it ends
But our hero’s achievements will always transcend
From now on we’ll say we were lucky to have known
The man they called Heffo, truly one of our own
Liverpool Football Club’s Irish connections demonstrated in the most glorious fashion 
Whats M**th?
That’s a fantastic article.
Cheers for that.
That was some era in GAA history.
Interesting how many of that great Dublin team were considered as good, if not better, hurlers than footballers growing up.
What is even more interesting is how many of that great Dublin team had a brother who was considered to be even better than they were themselves (if they had to take it seriously of course)
This is an easier to read version of it along with some other good articles
http://freepdfhosting.com/3a995efbca.pdf]http://freepdfhosting.com/3a995efbca.pdf
Kevin Heffernan RIP.
Is he the most important person in Irish sports history? Very good argument for it.
[quote=“Fitzy, post: 731259”]Kevin Heffernan RIP.
Is he the most important person in Irish sports history? Very good argument for it.[/quote]
Make it then.
<p style="margin-left:0px;]THE death has taken place of 83-year-old wild-life film maker Éamon de Buitléar.
:shakefist:
He liked the owl owls
Mary O’Connor, Hugh Hefner’s secretary, a bunny wee lass
